Manifolding device



W. E. OLIVER MANIFOLDING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inmentor: m 5 m Jul 29 1924;

W. E. OLIVER MANIFOLDING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 8 2 0 51 R E w L O E w MANIFOLDING DEVICE 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb.

il -W. A L Am? WALTER E. OLIVER, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOAUTOGRAIBHIC REGIS- PER 00., 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

MANIFOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed February 5, 1921. Serial No. 442,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER E. OLIVER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Hoboken, county of Hudson. and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inManifolding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stripor webfeeding devices in general, but hasspecific reference to mechanism adapted to regulate the feeding ofstrips of paper or other flexible fabric such as are commonly used withautographic registers and other manifolding devices.

It is customary at the present time to use with autographic registersstrips of paper each having a series of forms initially in- ,scribedthereon, and each of said forms having a hole or holes initially punchedtherein at a predetermined point or points for subsequent use in filingthe filled-in forms upon suitable spindles .or the like; and varioussorts of mechanism have been devised with the object of making use ofsaid holes in regulating the distance of advancement of said strips ateach operation, and in fixing the positions of said strips upon thewritingbed. But, so far as I am aware, none of such mechanisms that havebeen devised heretofore have been found to meet satisfactorily all ofthe commercial requirements of the devices to which they are intended tobe applied, and it is to improvements therein and the correction of someof their defects that my present invention is primarily directed.

In preparing strips of paper for manifolding work, the paper is usuallyfed to the printing press from a roll of large diameter, and in the formof a strip the width of which is several times that of each of thedesired narrower strips; the holes are punched in this wide strip,symmetrically with respect to the forms printed thereupon, eithercoincidentally with the printing operation or at some point in thepassage of the strip to or from the press; and the wide strip is thenslit into the desired number of narrow strips, and these are rewound toform the small rolls such as are used eommercially. I

An important requirement in connection with the punching and slittingoperations, and the subsequent feeding of the strips in the manifoldingdevice, is that the satisfactory operation of the feeding mechanismshall not require such extreme accuracy in positioning the punch holesrelative to the strip, and in slitting the wide strip into the narrowerones, as to render the punching and slitting unnecessarily slowandexpensive. The improved strip-feeding mechanism disclosed herein isparticularly well adapted to meet this requirement, since it providesfor rectification of the positions of the forms superposed upon thewriting-bed each time that the strips are advanced a form length,thereby insuring against cumulative errors in the positioning of thestrips, and rendering their accurate positioning dependant upon thelocations of the holes relative to the printed matter of the forms,rather than upon the locations of the printed forms longitudinally andtransversely of the strips themselves. While other feeding mechanismshave heretofore been devised for the purpose of securing similarrectification, none with which I am familiar have proven commerciallysatisfactory, one

of the principal reasons being that they are not adapted to meet therequirement that movement of the strips, such as is necessary forrectification of their positions both longitudinally and transverselyshall be brought about by position-correcting mechanism that isoperative upon the strips positively and definitely, and in such a wayas actually to move the strips when necessary or desirable, withouttearing or distorting portions thereof.

I will describe an autographic register embodying my invention and thenpoint out the novel features thereof in claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an autographic register having myimprovements applied thereto, with parts broken away to show theinterior mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, taken from the side ofthe register at which the hand crank is located;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the forward end of the register,taken from the opposite side;

Fig. 4;-is a detail View, in sectional elevation, of thefrictionally-operative driving mechanism for the record roll;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of my improved strip-feedingmechanism, in sectional rear elevation;

Figs. 6, 7 8 and 9 are enlarged detail views, in sectional elevation,showing different positions of the parts by means of which the positionsof the strips are rectified.

As shown in the drawings, the register has the usual side members 10 and11, which support the writing-bed 12 and the overlying margin-frame 13,said writing-bed and said margin-frame being pivotally secured to saidside members at 14, near the upper rear end of the register. Near theforward end of the top of the register is a hood 15 which serves tocover and protect parts of the strlpfeeding mechanism, and at the frontof said hood is a tearing-blade 16 by-means of which the strips may bedetached manually after having been written upon. Three pa-per-supplyrolls, 17, 18 and 19, are rotatably supported between side members 10and 11, below the writing-bed 12, and the paper strips 20, 21 and 22from said rolls are led over suitable guide rollers 23, 24 and 25, andthence over the writing-bed 12, underneath the margin-frame 13, and tothe strip-feeding mechanism. Aroll 26 of manifolding material isrotatably supported in a receptacle 27, which is formed by extending thewriting-bed 12 at one side of the register, said receptacle beingcovered by an extension 28 of margin-frame 13, and strips of manifoldingmaterial from roll 26 are led over the writing-table, transverselythereof, and interposed between paper strips 20 and 21, and 21 and 22,respectively. Paper strips 21 and 22 are fed underneath tearingblade 16,in position to be detached by being pulled manually thereagainst, andpaper strip 20 is led forward and downward from the strip-feedingmechanism, to form a record roll 29, over which is a cover 30 pivo'tallysecured at 31 to side members 10 and 11.

Rotatably mounted between side members 10 and 11, below hood 16, is ashaft 32, to one end of which is secured a hand crank 33 for manualactuation of the stripfeeding mechanism, and on said shaft are securedtwo similar feed rollers 34 and two similar annular collars 35, theperipheries of said collars being serrated or milled. Above shaft 32,and parallel therewith, a shaft 36 is rotatably mounted, and said shaftshave secured thereupon two intermeshin'g spur gears 37 i and 38. Uponshaft 36 are mounted two similar sleeves 39, which are adapted forlimited movement axially of said shaft, but are held against rotationrelative thereto by pins'40 projecting from said shaft and embraced byslots 41 in said sleeves. Coiled springs 42 are mounted upon shaft 36,between collars 39 and pins 43 projecting from said shaft, the tendencyof said springs being to urge said collars yieldingly into frictionalengagement with a cylindrical sleeve 44 which is loose on shaft 36between collars with said shaft. The diameter of sleeve 44 is somewhatless than that of collars 39, and the outside diameter of milled collars35 is somewhat less than that of feed rollers 34, so that, while collars39/are adapted to co-operate with feed rollers 34 for strip advancement,milled collars 35 are at all times separated from sleeve 44. At each endof sleeve44, a finger 45 and a lug 46 are secured to said sleeve, saidfingers being adapted to engage the milled peripheries of collars 35,

and said lugs being adapted to co-operate with arms 47 secured upon ashaft 48 which is rotatably mounted between side members 10 and 11,below and parallel with shaft 32,

in the manner and for the purposes to be described hereinafter. A fingertab 49 is secured atone end of shaft 48, to facilitate manual turning ofsaid shaft, and suchturning in either direction is limited by engagementof the margins of slots 50 in arnis, 47 with shafts 32, the free end ofeach of said arms terminating in a surface 51 which issubstantiallyconcentric with the periphery between one of the arms 47and a shaft 53 which is rotatably mounted between side members 10 and11, below and parallel with shaft 48, and said spring tends to holdshaft of feed rollers 34. A spring 52 is secured 9 48 in its position ofmaximum rearward rotation. Shaft 36 is journalled in bearings 54 carriedby brackets 55 and 56 which are vertically movable relative to shafts32, 48 and 53, so that shaft 36 is adapted for movement in a verticalplane, but is normally held in its-lowermost position by tension springs57 and 58, the lower ends of which are secured to side members 10 and11, respectively. Shaft 53 is cut away near either end to form flatsurfaces 59 at the points where said shaft is embraced by slots 60 inbrackets 55 and 56, so that when said flat surfaces are uppermost saidbrackets tend to be held in their lowermost positions by springs 57 and58, while by turning shaft 53 member 10, by'means of a pin 63 which isadapted for movement axially of core 62, and tends to be held in itsoutermost position by a coiled spring 64, so that core is yieldingly'urged by said spring toward side member 11. The other end of core 62 isso supported by a circular disc'65 as to be positively rotatabletherewith, the periphery of said disc being serrated, milled or knurled,and said disc being secured upon a short shaft 66 which is journalled inside menu ber 11 and in a bracket 67 secured to said side member, sothat said shaft is freely rotatable. A circular disc 68 is secured uponshaft 66 adjacent the outer face of side member 11, and a circularwasher 69 of leather or other fibrous fabric is loosely mounted uponshaft 66 between disc 68 and a disc 70 which is loose upon shaft 66, andhas secured thereto a sprocket wheel 71, there being interposed betweensaid sprocket wheel and bracket 67 a loose spacing collar 72. Thus,rotation of sprocket wheel 71 is transferred yieldingly, by frictionalengagement of discs 70 and 68 with washer 69, to disc 65, and hence tothe record-roll core 62, the

extent of such frictional engagement of discs 70 and 68 with washer 69being maintained substantially uniform by actionof spring 64.

Sprocket wheel 71 is connected by a sprocket chain 73 with a sprocketwheel 74 secured at the end of shaft 32 near the outer face of sidemember 11, so that rotation of said shaft by actuation of hand crank 33imparts rotation to sprocket wheel 71 in the same direction. As clearlyshown in Fig. 2, a lever arm 75 is pivotally secured at 76 to sidemember 11 below the stripfeeding mechanism, an extension 77 of said armbeing connected by a coiled tension spring 78 with said side member, anda portion 79 of said arm extending forward in position for its free end80 to be adapted to engage the serrated, milled or knurled periphery ofdisc 65, movement of the free end 80 of extension 79 of lever arm 75toward disc 65, under yieldingaction of spring 78, being controlled byan adjustable screw 81 which is carried by lever arm 75 and the free endof which engages a projection 82 on bracket 56.

Each of the paper strips 20, 21 and22 has a series of forms 83 initiallyinscribed thereupon, and near the head of each of the forms two circularholes 84 are initially punched in said strips, said holes being locatedsymmetrically with respect to each form, and in line with fingers 45 onsleeve 44 of the strip-feeding mechanism. Manifestly, the number ofpaper strips employed, or the number, shape or particular arrangement ofthe holes, may be varied to accord with any changes that may be thoughtdesirable -in the details of the strip-feeding mechanism, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

Referring now to the opera-tion of my improved strip-feeding mechanism,and starting with the paper strips arranged in superposition over thewriting-bed 12, with the strips of manifolding material from the roll 26interposed between their respective paper strips; with the margin-framein operative position; with the free ends of paper strips 21 and 22 ledunderneath the tearing-blade l6 and over the. pivoted cover 30 for therecord roll 29, the free end of paper strip 2-) being suitably securedto the record-roll core 62; with shaft 53 in thei position shown in Fig.5, so that the flat surfaces 59 thereof are uppermost and shaft 36 isyieldingly held by springs 57 in position for the paper strips to begripped between feed rollers 34, and collars 39; and with the holes 84in the paper strips, the arms 47, the fingers 45, and the lugs 46, inthe positions shown in Fig. 6 :-Upon turning the hand crank 33, shafts32 and 36 will be caused to rotate and thus the three paper strips willbe advanced with substantial uniformity by feed rollers 34 and theirco-operating collars 39, and at the same time record-roll core 62 willbe caused to revolve to wind strip 20 thereupon, any tendency of saidstrip to be advanced, by rotation of said core, more rapidly than theother strips are advanced by the main stripfeeding mechanism beingcompensated for by slippage between discs 70 and 68 and the fibre washer69 interposed therebetween. The tendency of sleeve 44 to be rotated withshaft 36, due to the frictional engagement of collars 39 with saidsleeve that is caused by springs 42, will at this time be overcome byengagement of fingers '45 with the paper strips in the manner shown inFig. 6. The strips Wlll continue thus to be advanced, upon continuationof the turning of the hand crank until the holes 84 in the strips arriveat approximately the position shown in Fig. 7, when the fingers 45 willenter said holes, and, upon slight further advancement of the strips bythe feed rollers and their cooperating collars, said fingers will bemoved into engagement with the serrated or milled peripheries of collars35, and thereupon, as said fingers are advanced due to such engagement,shaft 36 will be moved upward against the action of springs 57 and 58,thereby moving sleeves 39 out of position for cooperation with feedrollers 34 for strip advancement. The paper strips will then be free fortheir positions to be adjusted, either longitudinally or laterally, byfingers 45, un til said fingers arrive at the position shown in Fig. 8,when lugs 46 will arrive at the position shown in said figure, and thethree paper strips will be gripped between said lugs and surfaces 51 ofarms 47, so that said strips will be held firmly against movement in anydirection, and shaft 36 will continue to be held a sufficient distanceaway from shaft 32 so that sleeves 39 will not be cooperative with feedrollers 34 to tend to advance said strips, and further revolution of thehand crank will have no effect upon the position of the paper strips.Movement of shaft 36 upward and away from shaft 32, in the manner justdescribed, or by manual turning of shaft 53, will cause projection 82 onbracket 56 to be moved upward, and thus will permit extension 79 oflever arm 7 5 to be moved sufficiently by spring 78 to advance the freeend 80 of said extension into engagement with the serrated, knurled ormilled periphery of disc 65, thereby opposing further rotation of saiddisc, and of the record-roll core 62. Thus, further turning of the handcrank will result in slippage between discs 70 and 68 and fibre washer69,

advancement to be resumed, upon further turning of the hand crank,finger tab 49 is moved manually to turn shaft 48 sufficiently to advancethe free ends of arms 47 until surfaces 51 of said arms pass out ofposition to grip the three paper strips against lugs 46, whereupon shaft36 will be returned automatically by springs 5,7 and 58 to position forco-operation by sleeves 39vwith feed rollers 34 for strip advancement;the free end 80 of extension 79 of lever arm 75 will be moved away fromdisc by pressure of projection 82 on bracket 56 against the free end ofscrew 81, so as to free disc 65, and hence record-roll core 62, forrotation to wind strip 20 upon said core; and sleeve 44 will be free tobe turned through a partial revolution, by frictional engagement ofcollars 39 therewith under action of springs i2, until fingers 4:5 andlugs 46 return to the positions shown in Fig. 6, and further revolutionof sleeve is is prevented by engagement of fingers 45 with the paperstrips. The three paper strips may now be advanced as before, by turningof the hand crank, until their advancement is automatically terminated,their positions are rectified, they are clamped and hold againstfurtheir movement in any direction, and further revolution of therecord-roll core is opposed, due to engagement of fingers 45 with theholes 84 in the paper strips.

From the foregoing description, .it will be apparentthat my improvedstrip-feeding mechanism provides eflicient commercial means foradvancing a strip, or a plurality of superposed strips, the majorportion of a predetermined distance through the medium of co-operatingfeed rollers, and for completing their advancement, and at the same timeregulating their positions laterally, by devices that are positivelyoperative upon said strips; that it includes means for holding a stripor a plurality of strips while being written upon, detached or otherwiseworked upon, by engaging the surface of said strip or strips, ratherthan by engaging an edge or edges of said strip or strips or the marginsof a hole or holes doubtless suggest themselves to those skilled i inthis art, and others, in View of my disclosures herein,, and I thereforedo-not desire to be limited to the construction that I have shown anddescribed for purposes of illustration.

I claim as new, and seek to protect by Letters Patent, the following 1.In mechanism for feeding a strip of fabric having a hole, incombination, means for advancing said strip; means for rendering' saidadvancing means ineffective when the hole reaches said means; and meansoperative upon the surface of said strip to hold it against movementwhile said advancing means is so ineffective.

2. In mechanism for feeding a strip of fabric having a series of spacedholes arranged longitudinally thereof; in combination a writing bed; apair of feed rollers for advancing the strip over the writing" bed;means for separating said rolls to permit of strip adjustment and forgripping the strip after adjustment; and manually operated means forpermitting the feed rolls to again grip the strip whereby it may beadvanced over the writing bed.

3. In mechanism for feeding a strip of fabric having a series of spacedholes arranged longitudinally thereof; in combination a writing bed; apairv of feed rollers for advancing the strip over the writing bed; asleeve carrying a pin which separates the feed rollers when it enters anopening in the strip to permit of strip adjustment on the writing bedand said sleeve also carrying a surface to grip the strip afteradjustment; and manually operated means for moving said surface out ofcontact with the strip and for permitting the feed rollers to again gripthe strip whereby it may be advanced over the writing bed.

4. In mechanism for feeding a strip of fabric having a series of spacedholes arranged longitudinally thereof; in combination a writing bed;means for advancing said strips over said writing bed; means operativeto prevent strip advancement by.

said advancing means when a perforation is beneath it but heldinoperative by said strip until the perforation is beneath it; andmanually operated means for permitting the advancing means to be againoperative for strip advancement.

5. In mechanism for regulating the feedin of a strip of fabricthrough-the medium of a hole therein, the combination, with meansengaging the surface of said strip for its advancement a predetermineddistance, of means, which, upon entering said hole, advance said strip afurther distance, and means for strip advancement which are located inadvance of said other advancing means, operation of said hole-enteringadvancing means rendering both of said other advancing means ineffectivefor strip advancement.

6. In a manifolding device adapted to receive a plurality of superposedstrips of fabric each having holes arranged in series longitudinallythereof, the combination,

with a Writing-bed over which said strips are intended to be fed, ofmeans for ad-- vancing said strips thereover, separate means foradvancing said strips upon successlvely engaging said holes, and meansfor holding said strips against movement in any direction, by surfaceengagement therewith, upon completion of each of the successiveoperations of said last-named advancing means. 4

7. In an autographic register adapted for use with a plurality ofsuperposedstrips of fabric each having holes arranged in serieslongitudinally thereof, and manifolding material. being interposedbetween said strips, the combination, with means foradvancing saidstrips over said writing-bed, and separate advancing means located inadvance of said first-named means, for advancing one or more of saidstrips independently of the. others, of means for rendering saidfirst-named means inefiective for strip advancement, and holding saidlastnamed advancing means against any tendency to further advancement ofany of said strips thereby.

8. In mechanism for feeding a strip of fabric, in combination, means foradvancing said strip a portion of a predetermined distance comprisingoppositely arranged coacting surfaces; other means operated by saidstrip advancing means to separate said coacting surfaces to preventfurther advancement of the strip bythem and to cause a furtheradvancement of the strip; other means for holding the strip againstmovement after the second advancement of the strip; and means to releasesaid holding means and to permit the oppositely arranged surfaces toagain coact so that strip advancement may be resumed by them.

In testimony of. the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in thepresence of the subscribing Witnesses.

. WALTER E. OLIVER. Witnesses:

ANNA GRIFFIN, J 0s. F. HmmNBRAND.

